hedge between 16 and 18 Rotherfield Road, RG9 1NN (technically it is on no. 18's side of the fence in the hedge). It has now reached a height of 25-30m that poses a risk to the lives of the occupants of both houses, particularly no. 16, and to the structure of those houses. It has a diameter of 60cm at 1.5m above ground level. It stands just 8m to the west of no. 16. The tree in question is a sycamore and is covered by TPO 72H72/A1. Works requested This application is to reduce its height by at least 50% and ideally the trunk to just 10m high Reason for Work A tree surgeon took a brief look at the tree 2-3 years ago and thought it was healthy. Nonetheless, the tree still poses an unacceptable risk to us. I quote from the Forestry Commission Hazard assessment document which gives guidelines in assessing risk from trees. 1. 'No tree is entirely safe, given the possibility that an exceptionally strong wind could damage or uproot even a mechanically 'perfect' specimen.' 2. in assessing the risk, two factors come into play. First, 'The value of whatever is judged to be at risk'. Here, I assess the value as being infinite! It is my wife's and my lives that are at risk. If we were lucky enough not to be in, if and when the tree falls, our house would be severely damaged and it has a rebuilding cost of >£1m. 3. Second, 'The probability of failure, based on the type, position and severity of the defect concerned'. Whilst I believe that the tree is healthy (we haven't asked an aborculturist) we do live near the top of a hill. The tree lies due west of our house (ie from the direction of most storms) and the top of the tree is very exposed above the nearby houses.

Woodside, 18 Rotherfield Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1NN